Taking the Fall
by OTPangsting
Summary: When Loki is sent down to earth as a punishment for his actions on the human race he is reunited with the Avengers and is surprised to find an undeniable attraction between him and Natasha Romanoff. They are both suffering from nightmares of their past and trying to wipe out the red in their ledgers. A blackfrost Loki redemption story. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Natasha Romanoff pounded the punching bag with aching fists. She had been down here for at least 2 hours, trying to rid away the nightmares she saw when she closed her eyes.

_Chitauri entering New York through the portal in the sky, an infinite number, killing everything in their path. Icy blue possessed eyes that approached her while she remained frozen. Loki's fist, slammed against the glass of the helicarrier while he smiled evilly, laughing as one of Clint's arrows impaled itself in her heart._

She punched harder. The battle against Loki and the Chitauri had been over for more than 6 months now, so why was it she still couldn't sleep? It was almost 4 in the morning she noticed, glancing at the clock on the wall. The punching bag was still swinging slowly, like a pendulum and she steadied it with her hands before leaning her head against it in exhaustion.

"So you can't sleep either huh."

Natasha turned around abruptly, surprised by the entrance of Steve. She relaxed once she realized who it was and nodded giving a weak smile.

"It's funny," he said as he crossed the room to hoist and hang another punching bag, "we won, so you'd think our minds would be more at ease after we beat the bad guys… but no."

Natasha sat down on a bench against one of the walls, taking a sip from her water bottle and staring vacantly at the floor. "I can't even remember the last time I had an actual full night of uninterrupted sleep. I come down here when I wake up." She sighed quietly and watched Steve attack his punching bag until sand was spilling out of the sides. She decided he probably wanted some time to himself to think like she did and quietly made her exit from the room.

She walked down the quiet hallways of the Avengers Tower, formerly Stark Tower, and entered her bedroom. Natasha pulled aside the curtains on her windows to look outside. Hundreds of feet below she watched as people travelled hurriedly down the streets and cars honked angrily at each other. In the distance the first rays of sun were becoming visible from behind distant skyscrapers and she rested her head against the cool glass. She groggily lifted her head up off the windowpane and began to undress out of her sweaty workout clothes and headed into her bathroom, turning on the faucet and putting her hand under the water to test the heat. Natasha's bathroom was large and adorned with black tiles from floor to ceiling and both a shower and a bathtub as well as a sink and toilet. As soon as the water felt right she eagerly stepped into the shower and closed the sliding glass shower door, welcoming the hot water as it fogged up the glass and loosened her tense muscles.

* * *

Later, as Natasha entered the kitchen of the Avengers tower she was greeted with the familiar sound of Steve and Tony arguing over the breakfast table.

"I don't care how good you think it is, Steve" Tony shouted, "if you keep choosing The Wizard of Oz for movie night I am going to take away your movie choosing privileges!"

She smiled to herself as she crossed the room to put some pancakes on her plate and sat down next to Clint to eat. She was soon engaged in conversation with Clint over the mission Clint had recently returned from in Hong Kong. They were interrupted by Jarvis speaking over the intercom to the Avengers, "it is Director Fury, sir," Jarvis said, "he wishes to speak with you about an urgent mission.

* * *

Loki was jolted from his sleep by a loud rattling of his cell door that soon swung open, no longer locked. Loki regarded his visitor with cool distaste, turning away once more to continue his blank staring at the wall. He had no wish to speak with his brother. For the many months Loki had been imprisoned in Asgard Thor had always been a constant visitor of his as well as his mother, Frigga. Odin, no doubt had been content to not see him, perfectly happy to pretend as if Loki had never existed.

"Father wishes to speak with you," Thor rumbled in his deep voice.

"Well I do not wish to speak with him," Loki replied in a bored drawl. "What makes him take such a sudden interest in me once more? Has he suddenly remembered I am here?"

"Father loves you and only wishes to speak with his son."

"Well I am not his son!" Loki yelled, standing abruptly from his stone bed. "I never have been, I have only ever been a lie, a lie and second best, always to you!"

Thor's face softened slightly, stung by his words. "Very well brother, you may believe what you wish, but that will not change the truth, that we love you and only wish for you to find your way." Loki turned away once more. "The guards will be her shortly to escort you to the Allfather," and with that Thor made his exit.

Loki sat back down upon the stone slab he had called his bed for many months now and closed his eyes. He had been imprisoned here for many months and had long since given up trying to explain himself and the reasons behind his actions. Whenever he opened his mouth to explain how the Chitauri had used him, bent him to do there will with the very same magic he had used to manipulate others to do his will, he was silenced. He barely talked anymore, accustomed to being called a liar by so many of the people he had once known, maybe even had called friends. At the beginning of his sentence he was forced to wear a muzzle. It rendered him unable to speak and humiliated him, making him feel as low as a dog. His guards would often beat him, or use him to take out there frustrations, there own personal punching bag. His powers had been stripped from him and he had been put in the kingdom's strongest prison, held deep beneath the palace he had once called home.

The door swung open once more as two guards entered his room, as Thor had promised. They roughly grabbed him from his bed and cuffed his hands in front of him. Loki turned and twisted his head away as they adorned his face with the muzzle he so detested once more, but it was of no use. The muzzle was soon fastened and he was led roughly out of his cell and up the many steps leading out of the palace's underground. They soon arrived back to the main floors of the castle, through the rooms and hallways Loki recognized. He was at last led through a set of large wooden doors and down towards the end of the hall, where Odin sat upon his golden throne, his staff in hand. He nodded for the guards to make there leave and as they exited he stood slowly from his throne looking sadly down at his second son. Loki refused to meet his gaze the muzzle beginning to squeeze to hard on his face.

"You are probably wondering why I have brought you here, Loki," Odin said. "I realize these past months have not been easy for you, but do not be so foolish to think they were easy for me." Loki was unable to speak, but was still able to roll his eyes, refusing to meet the king's gaze. "I have decided that imprisoning you has not taught you the lesson you must still desperately need to learn, the value of life, of love." Loki looked up now meeting his gaze, contempt strong in his green eyes. "Your punishment was to be confined to your cell for the rest of your days, but I have since decided to give you another chance. You will be cast out to Midgard, to the land you so ruthlessly tried to destroy. There you will stay, powerless and mortal until I deem you worthy to return." Loki's eyes widened silently pleading for anything, anything but this, an eternity in his cell didn't seem so terrible now. "Your brother will aid you in becoming accustomed to the humans' ways, I only hope you will find it in your heart to change as he did.

* * *

Loki was led roughly to the bifrost by the guards. He had given up on struggling a while ago, resignedly standing beside Thor. As the muzzle and shackle were removed from his body he opened his mouth to plead for reconsideration, but it was to late. Heimdall opened the bifrost and Loki and Thor were sent spiraling through the portal. A bright light flashed before his eyes and then everything went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay sorry for the long wait between updates guys! hopefully that won't happen again. School and computer problems always come at the worst times for me. Thank you so much for your support of this story and please don't be afraid of reviewing and giving me some help and suggestions as this is my first story. Anyway, i hope you like the new chapter, i hope most the dialogue sounds okay. I WILL UPDATE SOON!**

* * *

Loki lifted his head up wearily and stumbled a little, still uneasy after his surprise journey through the bifrost. To his right his brother Thor stood back up straight and adjusted his armor. Turning to Loki he said, "the fortress known as SHIELD lies close to where we stand now, brother, we will have to ask for their help regarding your banishment."

Loki turned up his nose in distaste, "I do not need their help and neither do I want it, and I doubt they would welcome me back to earth with open arms. I only wish to return to Asgard."

"As you know I only wish the same for you, brother, but for now there is nothing we can do but embrace this new life of yours" Thor replied.

Loki huffed. The god of mischief a commoner, a peasant… a mortal? This could not be. Odin had made a grave mistake. Suddenly the cold stone cell in the pits of Asgard was not looking to shabby. He knew the All-Father was fair in punishing Loki for his disastrous actions against Midgard, but this? He may have been controlled by the Chitauri and contorted by Thanos to do his wicked deeds, and he felt deep remorse for the lives lost at his hand, but that did not mean he wanted to put on the same level of lowness, fragility, and mortality as humans!

Loki began to notice the attention Thor and he were receiving from passerby's in the park they had landed in, the same park that Thor had exited earth from with Loki after his defeat in the battle of New York. Thor was dressed in his usual shiny armor and flowing red cape, the ever-present Mjolnir by his side. In contrast, Loki had been forced to trade in his usual armor, green cape, leather tunic, and horned helmet for a simple black tunic with green trim and no shoes, a gigantic step down from the glorious clothes he had worn all his life. Thor, on the other hand, did not seem to take notice of the many midgardians stopping to gape at the two, walking with long strides Loki was able to keep up with and a smile on his chiseled face.

The rough pavement hurt the bottoms of Loki's feet and he mourned the loss of the toughness that came with the skin of gods and the strength. "But where am I to stay while I am imprisoned down here?" Loki inquired as they exited the large park and crossed the street, making their way through the jungle of skyscrapers and concrete. "And what am I to do of my time here on Midgard? Am I to grow old and become sick as they do? I am not worthy of this I am a god! I am a-"

"Not anymore, Loki!" Thor boomed, making Loki flinch slightly. Thor's face suddenly softened a little, realizing the force of his words. "I am sorry, brother, but you are no longer what you once were. You must prove yourself to our father-"

"_Your_ father." Loki snarled.

"-that you are remorseful of your actions and have changed. Only then will father allow you to come home and regain your powers." Thor came to a halt outside a large building and turned to face Loki, placing a hand on his shoulder. I know your heart is not loveless or without care as you wish people to think it is. You forget that it is I who had to comfort you for weeks after our favorite hound had died, I who was saved by you in the battle of Vanaheim when-"

"Enough of this!" Loki exclaimed, "Are we to simply stand out here all day?"

With that Thor turned to walk through the sliding doors, prompted by Loki's interjection. This seemingly magical entrance baffled Loki and he was wary of the doors that opened without touch and appeared to sense his presence all on their own. This was nothing, however, compared to the large moving staircase he was expected to climb upon. Thor had already been transported halfway up the walking-stairs before he had encouraged Loki to step up onto the curious midgardian contraption, albeit gripping the railings rather tightly. As they made their journey down the long hallways Loki came to realize that this had been the tower built by Tony Stark, the place the Hulk had slammed him into the floor and had been apprehended by the self-proclaimed Avengers. He was suddenly very apprehensive about entering what appeared to be the final door and his suspicions were confirmed when he read the name "Director Nick Fury" on the plaque beside the door.

"Thor, I am beginning to have my doubts about this plan of yours," Loki stated.

"Nonsense, brother!" Thor explained, "These people owe me a debt, and you are practically harmless now!"

Loki rolled his eyes at the reminder of his weakened mortal state, but nonetheless followed his older brother inside to where he found himself face to face with a rather surprised and understandably cross Nick Fury

* * *

The avengers all filed in slowly into the sitting room of Avengers tower. They each took a seat on the large black leather L shaped couch and attempted to make themselves presentable for Fury's arrival. Clint leaned back, hands behind his head and propped his feat up on the glass coffee table, while Steve straightened the collar on his button down shirt. They all straightened up as Fury entered the room, wearing his trademark black trench coat and eye patch. Tony took another sip from his drink before setting it down and turning himself to look directly at Fury, who was now standing in the middle of the room.

"Is there a new bad guy for us to bust? A new weapon to destroy? Because I was under the impression that we had been assigned 'well-deserved vacation time,'" Tony said to an equally cool and collected Nick Fury.

"No, Stark, there's no bad guy this time-," he paused slightly before continuing. "As you know when Loki and the Chitauri were defeated Loki was beamed back up to Asgard, to face trial on his home planet. He was stripped of his powers, but the catch is that he was sent back down to earth."

All the Avengers were stunned. Bruce was the first to break the surprised silence saying, "Well do you know where he is now?"

"As a matter of fact I do. It just so happens that he is going to be spending his exile here at The Avengers headquarters, under strict supervision with his brother Thor. Oh, and where is he right now? Right outside that door."

They all turned in perfect unison at the room's door. A few small seconds passed before the handle turned and was opened by their large friend Thor, closely followed by his less appreciated brother Loki.

Natasha's eyes widened and she gave out a small gasp as she looked into the same deep green eyes that had been following her nightmares, the same man, but somehow different.

Clint immediately jumped to his feet yelling about the unfairness and stupidity for Fury to let Loki even come within 100 ft of the HQ to begin with. "Are you crazy?! Are you insane?! Do you not remember what went down here six months ago? The lives lost? The things he did to us- to _me_?!"

"Of course I do, we all do, Barton, but Loki is only a mortal now and he will be under the strictest and highest of security. He will be unable to leave this tower without escort and supervision, and if he is as remorseful as he says he is, he could be a strong ally to SHIELD," Fury replied, blocking Clint's path to Loki, with a strong arm. "He will harm no one while he is here, is that clear?" he turned to face Loki who nodded and stepped slightly forward to speak.

"I realize the gravity of my mistakes for my joining of forces with the Chitauri, though I consorted with them voluntarily at first that all changed rather quickly. I wish not to harm you and only wish, as you do, for me to leave and return to Asgard. I understand and completely agree with any hostility you feel towards me." With that he stepped slightly back and resumed his silent gaze down at some random point on the floor. Natasha narrowed her eyes a little. Was this the same Loki that killed over one hundred people in a matter of days? He looked different, his hair slightly longer and his clothes rather bleak. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes were more prominent then before and she thought she spied a purple bruise peaking out from under his sleeves.

"What? So we just let Reindeer Games here room with us for a while then he gets shipped back to fairyland? Sounds doable." He pointed a finger of the hand holding his glass at the god of mischief. "But if you ruin my floors again, you will have hell to pay, mister, I can promise you that."

"What? No!" Clint exclaimed once more, since when is it the norm to give a serial killer a second chance?"

"You did for me," Natasha piped up.

"Yeah, but that's different, Tasha, he's done horrible things, messed with people's minds!"

"I did to, and you know what? I changed." She looked at Loki lifting her chin up to regard him further. "Sure I'm not overly fond of the guy, but if I could change, so could he."

Everyone looked at Natasha, generally surprised by her statement in Loki's support. She shrugged and sat back down on the couch as if it was all know big deal and she often stood up in defense of psychopathic-goat-helmet-wearing-killer-gods every day.

"Anyone else have something to say?" Fury asked.

Bruce took a tentative step forward and said, "I'm not quite sure how much I like this idea, but he doesn't have his powers right? He can't be that bad, I mean he can't be worse then me right?" He offered a weak smile and took off his glasses, cleaning them on his shirt before replacing them on the end of his nose.

Steve took a step forward as well, taking three large strides till he was standing directly in front of Loki. Loki slowly raised his head up to look at him questioningly. Steve slapped a large, strong hand on Loki's shoulder before proclaiming, "Welcome aboard."

Everyone seemed to deem Steve's evaluation of the Loki situation as the final say and gave no more arguments against it, though Clint still seemed to be in a bit of a huff, storming out of the room, probably to the training gym or his own quarters. Natasha stole another glance at Loki, startled to find him looking back at her, his head tilted as if trying to understand something new and unprecedented. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking of all the day's events and whether they really were crazy for letting him in. As soon as he noticed her gazing back at him, he gave a small smirk, forcing Natasha to turn away feeling more than a little confused about the heat she felt rising in her cheeks.


	3. Chapter 3

**ok guys so her's a long overdue new chapter with some fluff and lots of LokixNatasha development. again, sorry for the long wait, i hope you can forgive me and if you have any comments/suggestions for the story, please R&R so you can help me make it better. hopefully ill update soon! -Rose xoxoxox**

* * *

Loki looked around at the quarters he was now supposed to live in for the duration of his stay on Midgard. He had finally succeeded in assuring Thor that he was extremely capable of settling in without his brother standing over his shoulder constantly like a weird great-aunt. His new home for the time being was meager compared to his old bedchambers on Asgard but certainly a step up from the cold concrete cell he had been confined to for almost a year. There was a small sitting room, with a leather couch and chair facing what the midgardians called a "television" mounted on the wall. A bookcase stood wall to wall opposite the door and was for the most part empty save for about a half-shelf of books. Walking further inside, Loki discovered a miniscule kitchen with tiled floors and a counter encircling the tiny room with only a sink, microwave, and refrigerator located to the right of the sitting room. To the left he found his bedroom. The room contained a large bed in the center adorned with white sheets and a large black comforter topped with pillows as well as a dresser, closet, and small desk. The adjoining bathroom had a shower with glass sliding doors and a bathtub and toilet next to it with a large mirror and sink also inside. The shower was of particular delight to Loki who had not exactly had the opportunity to bathe himself thoroughly during his stay in prison. He stripped himself of his tunic and underclothes folding them and placing them neatly atop the dresser. He stepped naked into the shower and messed with the funny handles inside before getting the right temperature. The hot water felt soothing against his cool skin and he relished in the feeling of it running down his face and back. SHIELD had already provided the bathroom with toiletries and he applied a generous amount of the shampoo to his greasy black hair and rubbed the body wash over his skin. He stood there in shower a while after he was finished contemplating his current situation and letting the water release the tension from his muscles and his mind.

Loki was startled out of his trance by sharp, hard knocking on his door, Thor, most likely. He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a white towel around his waist and quickly rubbing his hair with a smaller towel to help dry it. He abandoned the smaller of the towels on the floor and growled slightly as he strode toward his sitting room door, agitated by the incessant knocking. "I heard you the first 10 times brother I guess you haven't learned any patience-" he stopped as he swung open the door startled to see a very much not-Thor Black Widow.

* * *

Natasha Romanoff wrapped on Loki's door once more impatiently and crossed her arms across her chest. She had been given orders to take him to get some new earth attire, no doubt SHIELD didn't want Loki going out in public and causing a panic among the New Yorkers who would most likely end up recognizing the alien who had destroyed their city and tried to rule the world. Oh well, we all had those bad days she thought to herself, though his were probably slightly more extreme. She had been startled by his arrival at the Avengers tower but what had unnerved her were his piercing green eyes but most of all the effect they had on her. _Keep your head straight_, she told herself, shaking out the thoughts of the god, _you have a job to do_. Natasha wrapped her knuckles once more on the door to his chambers to have the door swung open abruptly by a very wet, very naked Loki. She felt her breath catch in the back of her threat and worked to control her emotions to keep her face calm and stoic as usual. Loki stood before her one hand on the door and the other holding the towel around his waist. He looked rather peeved and she had to force her eyes not to trail down his surprisingly toned and muscled body. "Get dressed Loki, we're going shopping." She handed him a small pile of Tony's clothes.

"I'll meet you down in the lobby in five minutes" she finished and then turned on her heel and walked back down the long hallway leaving Loki rather dazed as he retreated back inside to change.

* * *

These clothes feel weird, yet oddly comfortable, Loki mused as he pulled a green hooded sweatshirt over his head. The black jeans fit well but the shoes he was provided were unbearably small. If he would have still had his magic he would have made them larger but he did not so he could not and was therefore forced to suffer the curse of small tennis shoes. He exited his quarters and began the walk up the long hallway to the sitting room and from there, the lobby. Loki met Agent Romanoff by the front doors and she stood up at his arrival and gave a small, approving nod at his change of clothes. "And where are you leading me now, Agent Romanoff?" Loki questioned as they walked out the front doors into the bustling streets of New York.

"The fashion district," she replied looking straight ahead. "We can't having you running around earth in Asgardian get up, you'll cause a mass panic."

"But I am no longer a threat," Loki said, confused as he followed the red headed assassin around the confusing city. "I have no magic and no desire to overtake your planet."

"Yeah well that not exactly going to believe that the god that's responsible for hundreds of deaths is sorry and harmless," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Well I am harmless and I _am_ sorry…" Loki said quietly stopping in his tracks. Natasha turned, surprised, to face him. His eyes gazed down at her pleadingly and he was conflicted as to whether or not he should attempt to explain his story. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. No, she wouldn't believe him, who would? He looked back down at his feet and strode quickly into a midgardian clothing store that displayed many fake plastic humans dressed in suits in their windows. Agent Romanoff followed him inside intrigued about his sudden display of what appeared to be sincerity. She decided not to press the subject and instead guided Loki to a rack of dress pants and shirts. He took a particular liking to some dark emerald green dress shirts and she helped him find slacks that looked to be about his size. After a time spent pulling out different outfits and finding some pairs of shoes that actually fit him she sent him into a changing room to try on the new clothes.

A few minutes later he emerged in black dress shoes and black slacks. Loki also wore a dark green dress shirt whose buttons were straining slightly against his muscled chest. He hadn't bothered to button the cuffs and had opted instead, to push the sleeves up his forearms to his elbows. Natasha raised her eyebrows in approval taking in the sight before her. Loki smirked noticing her eyeing him up and down. "Enjoying the view, Agent Romanoff," Loki grinned.

"No," Natasha lied, "it's just a little weird, seeing you without your weird Asgardian clothes and goat hat," she teased. Loki fumed at the insult.

"At least I do not parade around dressed as a walking flag!" he defended, referencing Steve's Captain America suit. She laughed at the retort and they continued with the playful banter as she payed for his clothes and they headed back towards the tower. It seemed strange yet somewhat right that he and the agent had been able to hold a relatively relaxed conversation without resorting to tearing each other's heads off. It made sense though, Loki figured. Though having many differences they were fundamentally the same at heart he believed.

When they were but a block away from the tower Natasha grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a small coffee shop. "But-"

"I'm getting some coffee," she explained to a confused Loki. "Want some?" Loki stood in line and looked curiously at all the mortals sipping the dark brown drink and raised an eyebrow. "It's good stuff, I promise," she said as she reached the front of the line. He watched her order two tall cups of "caramel mocha lattes" which sounded to him like an odd sort of disease.

"I wish to not be poisoned by your mortal beverages," Loki told her as she handed him the cup covered in a sort of cream.

"Just shut up and drink it, you'll like it," she ordered, guiding them over to a small table in the corner. She watched as he raised the mug to his lips and laughed at the facial expression he adapted at the taste. Loki scrunched up his nose and ran his tongue over his teeth and stuck it out of his mouth slightly. "What, you don't like it?" she asked.

"I can not tell Agent Romanoff," he said seriously, staring at the coffee with furrowed eyebrows as if it were a complicated puzzle and took another sip.

"Well you better remember what good coffee tastes like because back at the tower Clint makes it every morning and it's horrible. He tries, but it's horrible." He seemed to be taking at least a small liking to the new drink because as the time progressed his sips got longer and deeper until the latte was gone and Loki's nose was covered in whipped cream. She laughed and pointed at his nose while he wiped it away quickly with the sleeve of the hoodie he had changed back into at the store, indignant that he had let such a thing as whipped cream make him look a fool in front of this pretty mortal. He found himself appreciating her company more and more and had to admit to himself he had a slight attraction to this agent. She had, after all, been the one to best him and trick his own plans out of him when he had been trapped in the helicarrier. He forced himself to stop thinking such things and to stop admiring her blue eyes, her red hair, her lips when she spoke-

"Ready to go?" Loki was shaken out of his thoughts and nodded quickly as he stood to leave with her. As they stepped outside he was surprised to see that the sky had begun to grow dark during their time together in the café, the last remnants of the sunset streaked across the sky in dark red and orange. At the entrance to the Avengers tower Natasha scanned her SHIELD I.D. badge to open the doors for them and they walked through the lobby and into the elevator that would take them to the floor where they all lived. As the doors opened and closed after they had stepped inside Loki felt the need to say something.

"Thank you for helping me find suitable clothes and for the coffee, Agent Romanoff. It was surprisingly satisfactory for a mortal beverage," he smiled.

She rolled her eyes from amusement and turned her head to face him. "You're welcome, your company was surprisingly satisfactory for a god who tried to take over the world," she replied causing him to smirk and roll his at her retort. "And call me Natasha, okay?" she told Loki as the elevator doors began to slide open. He gave her a questioning look, wondering why she wished to be on such informal terms with him. "I just figure if we're going to have to put up with each other for god knows how long we might as well pretend to be on casual terms," she explained to him as they matched strides to the living room where Natasha sat down on the couch, propping her feet up on the table. Loki stood behind her for a few seconds before opening up his mouth to speak.

"Why did you vouch for me this morning?" he asked "There are so many reasons you should hate me. There are so many things I did." She turned to face him and met his searching eyes.

"People change, I did, I thought maybe you could too." She stood and walked over to the bar where she filled up a small glass with clear liquid and drank from it. "I used to be like you in a way, I guess. I killed, a lot. I didn't care who or for who or why. I made lots of enemies and I added a great deal of red to my ledger." Loki watched her take another drink and was intrigued in her story. "SHIELD noticed me and wanted me out of the picture. I had been trained since I was a little girl in the Red Room to hunt and kill and be ruthless. They sent Barton out to kill me, but when he found me he made a different call, he decided to bring me back to SHIELD as an ally and I decided to stop killing without a cause and join SHIELD and the Avengers and maybe wipe some of that red out of my ledger. I just figure we're both pretty messed up," she smiled down at her now empty glass and refilled it, looking up to meet his green eyes with her blue ones, "and if I could change, so could you." She turned away from then to walk back to the couch to sit. Loki began the journey back to his quarters but paused at the doorway.

"Thank you." "Goodnight, Natasha," he added finally glancing back at her.

"Goodnight, Loki," She replied "sweet dreams."

"Sweet Dreams…" Loki repeated to himself quietly causing Natasha to look back up at him and listen. "That's a good one," he laughed quietly as he walked down the long hallway towards his bedroom. She followed him with her eyes until he was out of her sight, silently wondering what would be so horrible to keep a god like Loki up at night and sent up a faithless prayer that they could both have a peaceful sleep for one night as she brought her tumbler to her lips one last time.


End file.
